Accessories for string of footwear

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a shoelace accessory provided to a shoelace to create an aesthetic appearance on the midfoot portion of a shoe while preventing the shoelace from being loosened, by preventing respective ornamental elements, threaded on the shoelace, from being moved or deformed. The shoelace is inserted through pairs of eyelets of an eyestay provided to the midfoot portion of a shoe so that the shoelace can be tightened and loosened to allow the shoe to be secured around a wearer&#39;s foot in conformity with a size of the foot, ornamental elements are threaded on the shoelace such that they are respectively placed between the respective pairs of eyelets and are positioned side by side in a rearward direction so as to independently or cooperatively provide an aesthetic appearance, and stoppers are integrally formed on surfaces of the ornamental elements.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a shoelace accessory which is providedto a shoelace to provide an aesthetic appearance on the midfoot portionof a shoe while preventing the shoelace from being loosened, bypreventing respective ornamental elements threaded by the shoelace frombeing moved and deformed.

BACKGROUND ART

As is generally known in the art, a shoelace is inserted through pairsof eyelets of an eyestay provided on the midfoot portion (correspondingto the instep of a foot) of a shoe so that the shoelace can be tightenedor loosened to allow the shoe to be secured around a wearer's foot inconformity with the size of the foot (the circumference or the width ofthe instep portion).

Shoelaces can be applied to various kinds of shoes, such as sportsshoes, dress shoes, and so on, to allow the shoe to be properly securedaround a foot. In addition, recently, the shoelace is used as means forcustomizing a shoe to have various shapes and colors.

However, limitations exist in producing an aesthetic appearance using ashoelace. In an effort to overcome these limitations, separateaccessories are attached to shoelaces to improve the aestheticappearance of a shoe. In this regard, the present applicant hasdisclosed a plurality of shoelace accessories. Among these shoelaceaccessories, describing the shoelace accessory disclosed in KoreanPatent No. 680852 (dated Feb. 2, 2007), a shoelace accessory placed on ashoelace to ornament a shoe comprises an ornamental panel provided onthe upper surface thereof with various shapes or patterns, a couplercoupled to the lower surface of the ornamental panel and having asectional shape in which a closed loop is partially cut away, and aslider fitted into the coupler, wherein the lowermost portion of theshoelace is received in the coupler, and the slider is fitted betweenthe slider and the lower surface of the lowermost portion of theshoelace.

However, in the conventional shoelace accessories including thosedisclosed by the present applicant, since the shoelace accessory isfitted on only one shoelace portion, among a plurality of shoelaceportions which are placed between pairs of eyelets, to perform anornamental function, the ornamenting effect of the shoelace accessory islimited to some extent.

Although it is conceivable that shoelace accessories can be fitted onrespective portions of a shoelace depending upon a user's choice toprovide an aesthetic appearance, because the conventional shoelaceaccessories are not secured to the shoelace portions but move on theshoelace portions (upward, downward, leftward and rightward, inparticular, leftward and rightward) the shoelace accessories becomedisorder, and thus the aesthetic appearance of the shoe is deteriorated.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solvethe problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the presentinvention is to provide a shoelace accessory which is provided to ashoelace to provide an aesthetic appearance on the midfoot portion of ashoe while preventing the shoelace from being loosened, by preventingrespective ornamental elements threaded on the shoelace from being movedand deformed.

Technical Solution

In order to achieve the above object, according to the presentinvention, there is provided a shoelace accessory wherein a shoelace isinserted through pairs of eyelets of an eyestay provided to a midfootportion of a shoe so that the shoelace can be tightened and loosened toallow the shoe to be secured around a wearer's foot in conformity withthe size of the foot, ornamental elements are threaded on the shoelacesuch that they are respectively placed between the respective pairs ofeyelets and are positioned side by side in a rearward direction so as toindependently or cooperatively provide an aesthetic appearance, andstoppers are integrally formed on surfaces of the ornamental elements,which come into contact with one another, so as to prevent theornamental elements from moving with respect to one another.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS

Thanks to the features of the present invention, a shoelace accessorycan be provided to a shoelace to provide an aesthetic appearance on themidfoot portion of a shoe while preventing the shoelace from beingloosened, by preventing respective ornamental elements threaded by theshoelace from being moved or deformed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the state in which a shoelaceaccessory in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention isapplied to a shoe;

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view illustrating the construction ofthe shoelace accessory in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the construction ofthe shoelace accessory in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the way of threading ashoelace through the shoelace accessory in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the assembled stateof the shoelace accessory in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the assembled stateof the shoelace accessory in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the state in which element bodies aremoved when stoppers are not formed;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating the state in which element bodies arenot moved when stoppers are formed;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the assembled stateof a shoelace accessory in accordance with another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the assembled state of a shoelaceaccessory in accordance with still another embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a shoelace accessory inaccordance with a still further embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS FOR MAIN PARTS IN DRAWINGS

-   -   10: shoelace accessory    -   11: ornamental element    -   12: element body    -   13: fastening part    -   13 a: opening    -   13 b: support block    -   13 c: groove    -   14: stopper    -   14 a: fixing groove    -   14 b: protuberance    -   14 c: flange    -   14′: curved surface    -   1: shoe    -   2: shoelace

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In the present invention, a shoelace is inserted through the pairs ofeyelets of the eyestay provided to the midfoot portion of a shoe so thatthe shoelace can be tightened and loosened to allow the shoe to besecured around a wearer's foot in conformity with the size of the foot,and ornamental elements are threaded on the shoelace such that they arerespectively placed between the respective pairs of eyelets and arepositioned side by side in a rearward direction so as to independentlyor cooperatively provide an aesthetic appearance. Stoppers areintegrally formed on the surfaces of the ornamental elements, which comeinto contact with one another, so as to prevent the ornamental elementsfrom being moved with respect to one another.

Therefore, in the present invention, the respective ornamental elementsare threaded on the shoelace and are horizontally placed between therespective pairs of eyelets to cooperatively define one ornamentalsurface. Thanks to this fact, each of the ornamental elements can beindependently used to provide an aesthetic appearance, or all of theornamental elements can be coupled like a puzzle to visually form onesymbol to thereby provide an aesthetic appearance.

At this time, while the shoelace may be moved or the respectiveornamental elements may be moved with respect to one another due to themovement of the shoe, in the present invention, since the stoppers areformed on the surfaces of the ornamental elements, which come intocontact with one another, the respective ornamental elements, whichcooperatively define one ornamental surface, are prevented from beingmoved leftward or rightward, so that the aesthetic symbol represented onthe ornamental surface is not deformed.

Before describing the present invention in detail, the attacheddrawings, which will be referred to in the explanation of the presentinvention, will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustratingthe state in which a shoelace accessory in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention is applied to a shoe, FIG. 2 is anassembled perspective view illustrating the construction of the shoelaceaccessory in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the construction ofthe shoelace accessory in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention, FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the way ofthreading a shoelace through the shoelace accessory in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a longitudinalsectional view illustrating the assembled state of the shoelaceaccessory in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the assembled stateof the shoelace accessory in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the state in whichelement bodies are moved when stoppers are not formed, FIG. 8 is a planview illustrating the state in which element bodies are not moved whenstoppers are formed, FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view illustratingthe assembled state of a shoelace accessory in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a plan view illustratingthe assembled state of a shoelace accessory in accordance with stillanother embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is aperspective view illustrating a shoelace accessory in accordance with astill further embodiment of the present invention.

Hereafter, the present invention will be described in detail withreference to the above-described drawings.

First, referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a shoelace accessory 10 inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention is characterizedin that a shoelace 2 is inserted through the pairs of eyelets of theeyestay provided to the midfoot portion of a shoe 1 so that the shoelace2 can be tightened and loosened to allow the shoe 1 to be secured arounda wearer's foot in conformity with the size of the foot, ornamentalelements 11 are threaded by the shoelace 2 such that they arerespectively placed between the respective pairs of eyelets and arepositioned side by side in a rearward direction so as to independentlyor cooperatively provide an aesthetic appearance, and stoppers 14 areintegrally formed on the surfaces of the ornamental elements 11, whichcome into contact with one another, so as to prevent the ornamentalelements 11 from moving with respect to one another.

Here, in the present invention, the ornamental elements 11 includeelement bodies 12 which have aesthetic symbols represented, for example,on the upper surfaces thereof and provide an aesthetic appearanceindependently or cooperatively when coupled, fastening parts 13 whichare formed on both lengthwise ends of the element bodies 12 to providepaths through which the shoelace 2 can pass to be fastened, and stoppers14 which have fixing grooves and protuberances respectively formed inand on the sidewalls of the element bodies 12 such that theprotuberances can be inserted through the fixing grooves to prevent theelement bodies 12 from being moved leftward or rightward.

At this time, for example, the upper surface of each element body 12 canbe streamlined, similar to the curved contour of the instep of a foot,or can be flat. An ornamental design as an aesthetic symbol isrepresented on the upper surface of each element body 12.

The ornamental design can include letters or a picture, and can berepresented through engraving, embossing, printing, copying orembroidering. Alternatively, other representation techniques, which canbe used depending upon the material of the element bodies 12, can beadopted.

For example, each fastening part 13 can comprise an opening 13 a whichis defined through each end portion of each element body 12, and asupport block 13 b which is installed across the opening 13 a such thatthe shoelace 2 can be fastened on the support block 13 b as the shoelace2 is inserted upward and then downward through the opening 13 a on bothsides of the support block 13 b.

Grooves 13 c are defined in the element body 12 on both ends of eachopening 13 a, and both ends of the support block 13 b are respectivelyengaged in the grooves 13 c so as not to move.

By these facts, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the shoelace 2 is insertedthrough one portion of each opening 13 a in one direction and throughthe other portion of each opening 13 a in the opposite direction suchthat the shoelace 2 can be supported by the support block 13 b, which isengaged in the grooves 13 c. Then, the shoelace 2 is passed through anopposite eyelet which is formed in the eyestay of the shoe, and isinserted through one portion of an opposite opening 13 a defined in thatelement body 12.

Each stopper 14 comprises a fixing groove 14 a which is defined in onesidewall of the lengthwise middle portion of the element body 12 toextend vertically, and a protuberance 14 b which projects outward fromthe other sidewall of the lengthwise middle portion of the element body12 such that the protuberance 14 b can be inserted through the fixinggroove 14 a of an adjoining element body 12 to be fixedly positioned.

Consequently, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, due to thefact that the protuberance 14 b, which is formed on the other sidewallof an element body 12, is arranged to face the fixing groove 14 a orhole, which is defined in one sidewall of an adjoining element body 12,and is inserted through the fixing groove 14 a or hole, the respectiveelement bodies 12 can be fixed so that they do not move leftward orrightward.

Therefore, when an aesthetic symbol, for example, the logo of a company,is represented on the element bodies 12, if the stoppers 14 of thepresent invention are not provided, the logo can be deformed, as shownin FIG. 7 due to the leftward or rightward movement of the elementbodies 12. In this regard, in the present invention, since the positionsof the respective element bodies 12 are fixed by the stoppers 14, theshape of the logo can be maintained as it is without being deformed, asshown in FIG. 8.

Another embodiment of the present invention, which is associated withstoppers, can be realized as shown in FIG. 9.

In detail, a flange 14 c is integrally formed on the free end of theprotuberance 14 b of each stopper 14 such that the flange 14 c isbrought into contact with one sidewall of an adjoining element body 12on both sides of the fixing groove 14 a so that the element bodies 12are prevented from being moved leftward, rightward, forward or rearward.

Moreover, in the present invention, while the stopper 14 can beconfigured by forming the fixing grooves 14 a and the protuberances 14 bin and on the element bodies 12, as illustrated and explained in theaforementioned embodiment, it can be envisaged, as shown in FIG. 10,that curved surfaces 14′ can be formed on both sidewalls of the elementbodies 12 which are brought into contact with one another such that thecurved surfaces 14′ come into contact with one another to be preventedfrom being moved with respect to one another.

The fixing groove 14 a of the stopper 14 can be replaced with a hole, asshown in FIG. 11.

The sidewalls of the element bodies 12 can be formed to have a curvedsectional shape, as shown in the drawing, or to have a sectional shapehaving prominences and depressions.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention relates to a shoelace and to the provision of anaesthetic appearance on the midfoot portion of a shoe while preventingthe shoelace from being loosened, by preventing respective ornamentalelements threaded on the shoelace from being moved and deformed.

1. A shoelace accessory wherein a shoelace (2) is inserted through pairsof eyelets of an eyestay provided to a midfoot portion of a shoe (1) sothat the shoelace (2) can be tightened and loosened to allow the shoe(1) to be secured around a wearer's foot in conformity with a size ofthe foot, ornamental elements (11) are threaded on the shoelace (2) suchthat they are respectively placed between the respective pairs ofeyelets and are positioned side by side in a rearward direction so as toindependently or cooperatively provide an aesthetic appearance, andstoppers (14) are integrally formed on surfaces of the ornamentalelements (11), which come into contact with one another, so as toprevent the ornamental elements (11) from being moved with respect toone another.
 2. The shoelace accessory according to claim 1, wherein theornamental elements (11) include element bodies (12) which haveaesthetic symbols represented on upper surfaces thereof and provide anaesthetic appearance independently or co-operatively through couplingtherebetween, fastening parts (13) which are formed on both lengthwiseends of the element bodies (12) to provide paths through which theshoelace (2) can pass to be fastened, and stoppers (14) which havefixing grooves and protuberances respectively formed in and on sidewallsof the element bodies (12) such that the protuberances can be insertedthrough the fixing grooves to prevent the element bodies (12) from beingmoved leftward or rightward.
 3. The shoelace accessory according toclaim 2, wherein each fastening part (13) comprises an opening (13 a)which is defined through each end portion of each element body (12), anda support block (13 b) which is installed across the opening (13 a) suchthat the shoelace (2) can be fastened on the support block (13 b) as theshoelace (2) is inserted upward and then downward through the opening(13 a) on both sides of the support block (13 b).
 4. The shoelaceaccessory according to claim 2, wherein each stopper (14) comprises afixing groove (14 a) which is defined in one sidewall of a lengthwisemiddle portion of the element body (12) to extend vertically, and aprotuberance (14 b) which projects outward from the other sidewall ofthe lengthwise middle portion of the element body (12) such that theprotuberance (14 b) can be inserted through the fixing groove (14 a) ofan adjoining element body (12) to be fixedly positioned.
 5. The shoelaceaccessory according to claim 1, wherein the stopper (14) comprisescurved surfaces (14′) which are respectively formed on both sidewalls ofthe element body (12).